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Andalou Naturals

Argan Stem Cell Age Defying Scalp Intensive

Scalp treatment

  • Scalp treatment
  • serum
  • Vegan · label states
  • Cruelty-free · label states
Size2.1 fl oz
Price$14.99 Good valueseen at one store · 2.1 oz
Price / oz$7.14/ozat 2.1 oz

Scent:

The ingredient list declares fragrance. What it smells of is not stated, and we do not guess.

Manufacturer page: andalou.com

Personal fit

Is this right for you?

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Upper-mid price for a scalp treatment

$7.14/oz at 2.1 oz — more than 50% of the 152 scalp treatments , which mostly run $3.22–20.64/oz.

Price and stores

Great for

Vegan and cruelty-freeour researched record has it as both

Maybe skip if

this product carries a scent
Dry or very humid airwhere heavy humectants work against you

Whether this much richness is right for you depends on your strand thickness, porosity, and how easily your hair flattens — that is what the consultation works out.

What the formula actually does

Read from the label, not the marketing

Each row says where it comes from: F means we derived it from this product’s own ingredient list, S means it is a claim the brand makes that the formula neither confirms nor contradicts.

Slip and detangling Little

Nothing here is built to reduce combing force.

Oils and butters Present, lower down

Oils are present, but low enough to be a finishing touch.

Water-binding (humectants) High

Humectants near the top — water-binding is a headline mechanism here.

Needs detergent to remove No

Nothing here needs a detergent wash to remove.

Fragrance Present

Fragrance is listed; it sits below the working ingredients.

from the formula stated by the brand reported by reviewers Scale: 1 dot low · 5 dots high, within this product type.

Ingredients that matter

The ingredients that change a decision

The workhorse ingredients plus anything lower down that changes a decision. These chips name what an ingredient does — they are not safety scores, and no ingredient here is rated good or bad on its own.

IngredientWhat it doesWhy it mattersChip
WaterAqua/Water/Eau solvent The base everything else is dissolved in Neutral
Glycerin humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Panthenol humectant Pulls water into the hair Detangles
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice humectant Pulls water into the hair Moisturizes
Xanthan Gum gum Natural hold and clump definition Holds
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract botanical extract A plant extract, marketed as much as functional Neutral
Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Cell Extract botanical extract A plant extract, marketed as much as functional Neutral
Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract Neutral
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein film former A supporting film former Protein
FragranceParfum (Fragrance) fragrance The scent Fragrance
Ethylhexylglycerin preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Softens
Phenoxyethanol preservative Keeps the product from spoiling Stabilizes
What the list leaves out, and what it carriesContains fragrance. Recorded as vegan and cruelty-free.
Full ingredient list (35)

US labelling rules put ingredients above 1% in descending order of amount; below 1% they may be listed in any order. Annotations keep three readings separate: the ingredient's general function, its role in this product type, and what its position can support.

  • 1 Water · Aqua/Water/Eau
    General function

    The base of almost every rinse-off and cream hair product. It carries everything else and is normally the first ingredient on the label.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    • solvent
  • 2 Glycerin
    General function

    A small water-loving molecule that draws moisture into the hair and holds it there. It is the most common softening ingredient in conditioners and leave-ins.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    High-porosity hair loses water fast; a humectant holds some of it in place for longer than the wash itself would.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Binds water into the outer layers of the strand, and water is what makes dry hair flexible again rather than brittle.

    DependsClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    Water moves both ways. Measured across concentrations, glycerin solutions give water up in some conditions and take it from the air in others. What it does for you depends on how much of it is there and on the air around it.

    Scientific Reports
    • humectant
  • 3 Panthenol
    General function

    Provitamin B5. It draws in water and penetrates the strand a little, which is why it is the standard ingredient for softness and shine claims.

    Leading ingredient

    Listed in the first three ingredients, it is likely a structural part of this formula.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    It hydrates without adding oil or a film, which is the combination fine hair usually needs.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Deposits a lubricating layer that makes combing easier, which is most of what stops mechanical damage adding to frizz.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    A humectant that also penetrates the cuticle, so it holds water inside the strand rather than only on the surface.

    PubChem
    • humectant
    • conditioning agent
    • vitamin
  • 4 Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
    General function

    Aloe gel, used for light moisture and slip. High in the list it also contributes a little natural hold.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    Gums thicken and set soft, which gives definition that bends rather than a rigid cast.

    May suitFine or easily flattened hair

    Hydration with no oil attached, so it adds very little weight even high on a list.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Aloe is mostly water carrying sugars that bind more of it, which is why it turns up as the base of moisture-first formulas.

    • humectant
    • botanical extract
    • gum
  • 5 Xanthan Gum
    General function

    A fermented sugar gum that thickens water-based formulas and adds soft, natural hold.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    May suitCurls or waves needing flexible hold

    A polysaccharide film stays softer than a synthetic one as it dries, which is what leaves a curl defined but still able to move.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A soft film binds neighbouring strands together, which is most of what keeps flyaways lying down without stiffness.

    May not suitMaximum-hold styling

    Gum films stay soft. A style that needs firm fixation usually wants a synthetic polymer doing the holding.

    • gum
    • thickener
    • film former
  • 6 Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
    General function

    An extract of Malus Domestica. Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    • botanical extract
  • 7 Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Cell Extract
    General function

    An extract of Grape (Vitis Vinifera). Plant extracts are used across a wide range of levels, and label order is the best guide to how much is here.

    Supporting ingredient

    Listed in positions 4–8, it likely makes a meaningful contribution alongside the formula's main ingredients.

    • botanical extract
  • 8 Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract
  • 9 Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
    General function

    A light, widely used oil that softens without much weight.

    Secondary ingredient

    Lower in the ordered portion of the list, it is more likely playing a supporting role than defining the formula.

    May suitDry, coarse, or high-porosity hair

    Coats the surface and slows water leaving the strand, which is usually what coarse hair that dries out fast is missing.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    A thin oil layer lowers friction between strands and flattens the raised cuticle that scatters light and catches on its neighbours.

    DependsVery dry or highly damaged hair

    It works on the surface. In the comparison that established coconut oil's penetration, sunflower oil did not reduce protein loss from washing — its fatty acids are bulkier and less linear. It softens and smooths; it does not reinforce the fibre.

    International Journal of Trichology
    • oil
    • emollient
  • 10 Biotin
    • vitamin
  • 11 Aronia Melanocarpa Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • Below about this point, order stops being meaningful — these are typically used at 1% or less.
  • 12 Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract · Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 13 Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 14 Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 15 Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Flower Extract
  • 16 Equisetum Arvense Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 17 Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 18 Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 19 Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
    • antioxidant
  • 20 Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 21 Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 22 Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
    General function

    A light plant protein that adds body and shine, popular in volume products.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Filling surface gaps evens out the cuticle, which is part of what makes damaged hair comb and reflect light more like undamaged hair.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Film formers are what hold a style: they dry into a connected film across the strands so the shape resists movement.

    May suitVery dry or highly damaged hair

    Hydrolysed fragments are small enough to sit in the gaps of a worn cuticle for a wash or two, temporarily restoring stiffness and cutting breakage in combing.

    • film former
    • protein
    • hydrolysed protein
  • 23 Tussilago Farfara (Coltsfoot) Flower Extract
    • botanical extract
  • 24 Fragrance · Parfum (Fragrance)
    General function

    An undisclosed blend of scent ingredients. Regulations let it stay unlisted, so a fragrance-free product is the only way to be certain what is not in it.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Declared fragrance. On a fragrance-sensitive routine this is the line that decides it, wherever it sits on the label.

    • fragrance
    • declared fragrance
  • 25 Lecithin
    General function

    A soy- or sunflower-derived lipid that helps conditioning ingredients spread evenly on the strand.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • emulsifier
    • emollient
  • 26 Carbomer
    General function

    A thickener that turns a liquid into a clear gel. It also contributes a light hold.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitClimate-sensitive or frizz-prone hair

    A set polymer film is a physical barrier to humidity, so a style keeps its shape longer in damp conditions.

    May suitMaximum-hold styling

    Synthetic film formers dry into a continuous film, which is what holds a shape against movement and against humid air.

    DependsBuild-up-sensitive routines

    Some acrylate copolymers rinse with water and some need a detergent; the label alone does not say which one a formula used.

    • thickener
    • polymer
    • film former
  • 27 Isomalt
  • 28 Polysorbate 20
    • solubilizer
    • emulsifier
  • 29 Ethylhexylglycerin
    General function

    A preservative booster that also adds a little softness. Almost always paired with phenoxyethanol.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May suitFrizz-prone, damaged, or high-friction hair

    Emollients fill and smooth the surface of the strand, which lowers the friction that lifts the cuticle and reads as roughness.

    PubChem
    • preservative
    • emollient
  • 30 Phenoxyethanol
    • preservative
  • 31 Sodium Benzoate
    • preservative
  • 32 Pogostemon Cablin Oil
    General function

    Patchouli essential oil, used as an earthy fragrance note.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 33 Juniperus Virginiana Oil
    General function

    Cedarwood essential oil, used as a woody fragrance note.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 34 Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil
    General function

    The essential oil of Ylang Ylang (Cananga Odorata). Essential oils are aromatic — they are in the formula for scent, and they are a common source of declared fragrance allergens.

    Estimated lower-concentration zone

    It appears around or below the estimated 1% line, where label order no longer indicates relative amount; its role may be minor or technical.

    May not suitFragrance-sensitive routines

    Essential oils are fragrance. Several carry constituents on the EU list of declared fragrance allergens, so a label with no fragrance line can still be a scented product.

    • botanical extract
    • essential oil
    • fragrance
  • 35 Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Extract

What the whole list adds up to

  • 17 botanical extracts
  • 4 fragrances
  • 3 humectants
  • 3 film formers
  • 3 emollients
  • 3 antioxidants
  • 3 preservatives
  • 3 essential oils
  • 2 vitamins
  • 2 gums
  • 2 thickeners
  • 2 emulsifiers
  • 1 solvent
  • 1 conditioning agent

Ingredient list captured 2026-09-15. Formulas change — check the package in your hand when an ingredient matters to you.

Price · 2.1 oz

Seen at $14.99 lowest of 2 stores · checked Sep 16
Good value under $30 Under $14.21/oz it costs less than three-quarters of the 8 products we score as doing the same job

Usually a good value. Most stores sell it under the $30 line, and products that do this job typically go for about $50 at this size.

Show the price ladder
Where we’ve seen it3 listings · 3 stores

Sorted by price per ounce. Dated observations from our research, not live prices. Direct store pages, no affiliate links. We don’t sell this product.

How we work this out
  1. 2.1 oz is the size stores list most often; every comparison on this page is made at it. Other sizes are shown in the Sizes row and the store list.
  2. Seen at $14.99 is the price we have observed for the 2.1 oz. We need three stores before we call a price commonly seen.
  3. Good value under $30 comes from the 8 products we score as doing the same job as this one. A quarter of them cost less than $14.21/oz; at 2.1 oz that is $30. Under that line you are paying less than most of them.
  4. About $50 is what those same products typically cost at this size — the midpoint of their prices per ounce, scaled to 2.1 oz.

Formula

Formula score
2 of 10

It costs about what other scalp treatments cost per ounce, but the formula leaves out conditioning agents up front, which most of the format carries.

How the score is counted
  • 2 products we score as doing the same job cost less per ounce
  • Costs more per ounce than 50% of the 152 scalp treatments we’ve priced
  • No conditioning agents up front in the formula
  • No oils or butters in the working zone either
  • Conditioning agents up frontWhat makes wet hair comb through.3 pts
  • Oils or butters in the working zoneSoftens the strand rather than just coating it.2 pts
  • Slip for detanglingReduces the force it takes to comb wet hair.2 pts
  • A humectantBinds water into the hair.1 pt
  • A pH adjusterBrings the formula to the acidic pH hair prefers.1 pt
  • Fragrance kept out of the top eightScent as a finishing touch, not a major share.1 pt

The formula score is completeness for the job: the share of the systems this product type is normally built around that we can find in this list, weighted. It is not efficacy, not quality, and it never compares across product types.

Does the same job, for less

Same derived functions — what it cleans, conditions, coats or holds — at a lower cost per ounce. Scent, texture and where you buy it can still differ.

CHILowest cost per oz Scalp-ology Scalp Scrub $2.38/oz $4.76/oz less
  • Fragrance-free
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
Also
  • Salon tier
  • 8 oz bottle
Compare
CHIFragrance-free Scalp-ology Scalp Serum $5.10/oz $2.04/oz less
  • Fragrance-free
  • Lightweight
  • Silicone-free
· Close function
Function
  • Film formers
Also
  • 3.2 oz bottle
Compare

See more alternatives in the product library

These are functional neighbours, not personal recommendations — they are close on formula, not chosen for anyone. Get the one that fits your hair, routine, and budget

Suits every hair pattern

Final decision

Should you buy it?

Good for the right person
Best user

Vegan and cruelty-free shoppers, looking for a vegan, cruelty-free product

Biggest tradeoff

Not ideal for anyone sensitive to fragrance or very dry or very humid climates

We do not sell products or take placement fees. This page states what the formula and the prices show; the consultation is what matches it to a person.

Claims check

What the brand says, against what the formula shows

Claims are quoted from the brand. We only mark one supported, partly supported, or conflicting when the ingredient list actually speaks to it; everything else stays "stated by the brand", which is not a criticism — most claims simply cannot be read off a label.

0
SupportedBacked by ingredients
0
Partly supportedSome supporting logic
4
Stated by brandNo clear evidence
0
Potential conflictFormula works against claim
Daily scalp serum designed to support hair density for visibly fuller, healthier-looking hair from the root

Density and growth are cosmetic claims an ingredient list cannot settle.

  • Panthenol
  • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
  • Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Stated by brand

Not something a label can show.

Gentle and color safe

The detergent system is not recorded, so fade risk cannot be read.

  • Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract
  • Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
  • Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract
Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

Cruelty-free, vegan, paraben-free, phthalate-free, gluten-free, and formulated with 97% naturally derived ingredients

A brand-run study. We report it as stated and do not repeat the number as fact.

Stated by brand

Only the brand’s testing shows this.

Daily: part dry or towel dried hair, apply a few drops to scalp, massage gently; apply again before bed

This is a marketing claim; an ingredient list cannot speak to it.

Stated by brand

Can’t be confirmed from label.

How to read this

We look at the first 10–15 ingredients and what they do in a formula — not marketing. If the list doesn't speak to a claim, we don't assume.

Reviewers

What people report

Recurring themes our researchers wrote in their own words from sourced reviews. We do not store or scrape star ratings.

Many reviewers value that the daily application does not leave the scalp or hair feeling greasy or oily, even with twice-daily use.

regular daily users

Reviewers using this daily for thinning hair report visible baby hairs or fuller-looking density after weeks to months of consistent use.

reviewers with thinning hair or hair loss

A recurring complaint is that after a full bottle or more of daily use, some reviewers see no visible change in shedding or density.

users past their first bottle

One reviewer reported the product caused scalp itching that began hours after application and was localized to where it was applied.

one reviewer with a sensitivity reaction

More from Andalou Naturals

How this page was made

  • Everything above is generated from our researched product record — identity, the ingredient list as printed, the brand's own claims, dated price observations, and review themes written in our researchers' own words. No part of this page is written per product.
  • The value band is a fixed label over two stored numbers: this product’s cost per ounce as a percentile of every product of this type we have priced, each at the size it is most often sold in, and how many products we score as doing the same job cost at least a quarter less per ounce.
  • Both scores out of ten are defined on this page. The formula score is completeness for the job, computed from a fixed per-format checklist shown beneath the gauge; the price score is cost per ounce against every product of this type we have priced.
  • The "Is this right for you?" panel reads only your own consultation answers, and it applies exactly the filters our recommendation engine applies. It is computed when you load the page and is never stored on it.
  • 5 sources consulted for this product (0 manufacturer or regulatory, 1 retailer, 4 editorial), last checked 2026-09-16.
  • Ingredient references are linked for 5 of 13 product-aware annotations on this page. Fit notes are conditional formulation guidance, not a conclusion about the finished product or about you.
  • We have not tested this product in a lab and we do not physically test your hair. Formula readings come from the ingredient list; behaviour claims are labelled as the brand's.
  • Ingredient order tells you relative amount only above roughly 1%. Prices are observations on the dates shown and change without notice.
  • Ingredient names link to our ingredient library, where each entry shows what it does, which product types use it, and where it usually sits on a label across everything we have researched.
  • This is cosmetic information, not medical advice, and nothing here diagnoses or treats a health condition.
  • Formula readings: derivation v22. Record last updated 2026-09-15.